The first 600 Russian prisoners apply for employment at the BAM – the Baikal-Amur Mainline. Already in June, they will be able to start working in professions that do not require qualifications – laborers or concrete workers, for example.
Kommersant tells about the details of the innovation in penitentiary institutions, citing several sources. Back in April, they began to actively discuss the issue of involving people serving sentences on non-severe articles in the construction of roads. The reason is trivial – the outflow of labor migrants associated with the coronavirus pandemic, and the attendant shortage of workers.
The advantages of such a solution are numerous, including for the convicts themselves. First, it will “brighten up” their prison routine. Secondly, it will give a chance to be released earlier than the deadline set by the court. Thirdly, it will help to keep a job and continue working there after release.
Mikhail Burmistrov, head of Infoline-Analytics, tells Kommersant that the potential for correctional work in the colonies is very poorly realized. In addition, many of the prisoners who have committed minor crimes are themselves interested in work that gives some privileges.
During a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin, it became known about the contractors’ plans: OOO TS Stroy is ready to employ 430 prisoners, OOO Promstroy expressed a desire to hire 100. However, experts draw attention to the fact that there is no legislative basis for such initiatives that entail significant costs and image risks.
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